


Crucifix

by BasilHellward



Category: Being Human (UK)
Genre: Bonding, Gen, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-11 03:31:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20539418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BasilHellward/pseuds/BasilHellward
Summary: Just like Hal, Tom has his own routines, and one of them is hanging his crucifix around his neck every morning.





	Crucifix

**Author's Note:**

> Tom stops wearing McNair’s crucifix in season 4 for some reason and it’s never explained, so this is what I’d like to think that reason is.  
Any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors are my own, please point them out so I can correct them! Constructive criticism is also welcome. Enjoy :)

Tom and Hal are on their break — not because they’d needed one, but because it’s never very busy in the café and there’s only so long Hal can stand to be in a room with people when he’s standing still with nothing to distract himself. 

There are a few customers in but they’ve all been seen to, content for now to read their papers over tea and stare mindlessly into their mobile telephones. Annie keeps nagging Hal and Tom both to get one in case something happens when she’s alone with Eve and can’t Rentaghost here, but neither of them have gotten around to it. 

Tom’s going on about the swimming pool he’s supposed to be building in the garden while he stirs a little paper cup of tea. Hal’s eyes flicker to Tom’s chest by chance and linger there, his eyebrows drawing together in a frown. Tom resists the urge to fold his arms over his apron. “What?” he asks, glancing down at himself. “Have I spilled summat on meself?” 

“No,” Hal says, his hand raised to carry out a gesture he quickly thinks better of. He drops his hand and curls his fingers, his thumb running over each knuckle in turn, then looks back to Tom’s face. “Your crucifix,” he says, “you aren’t wearing it.”

“Oh, yeah,” Tom says like it’s the first he’s noticed. Hal knows it isn’t. His heartbeat quickened when he spoke. “Couldn’t find it.” 

Just like Hal, Tom has his own routines, and one of them is hanging his crucifix around his neck every morning. Hal may not be good with people, but he’s good at reading them, and he knows the necklace is very dear to Tom. He wouldn’t forget it lightly. 

“You wear it every day, how could you lose it just like that?” 

“Dunno, mate. I just did, a’right?” Tom snaps, raising his voice. He’s getting defensive: a definite sign he’s hiding something. Hal raises an incredulous eyebrow and that’s all it takes for Tom to sigh and look down, fiddling with his apron’s hem. “I took it off ‘case it hurts ya,” he mumbles. 

Hal’s eyes widen. He hadn’t been expecting that. “S-sorry?” 

“I just thought... since we’re mates now and that, it must do your ‘ead in seeing it all the time.” 

Hal feels something like warmth unfurl in his still chest. He never thought the two of them would ever consider the other a friend — truthfully, Hal didn’t expect to ever make another friend again, much less so soon after Leo. What’s even more surprising is that Tom has overcome a lifetime of prejudice in just a few short weeks. It amazes Hal that someone who’s spent his whole life afraid of and hating vampires, someone who’s actively _hunted_ them, could be so kind to one. 

“Crucifixes don’t affect me,” he tells Tom. 

Tom frowns at him. “But McNair said—“

“McNair didn’t know everything, did he?” Hal interrupts without thinking. “What I meant was... I’m too old for them to affect me. You build up a sort of immunity over the centuries. Most hunters don’t know that, there aren’t many of us Old Ones left.” 

“Oh.”

“Thank you, though. That’s very... considerate of you.” 

Tom shrugs him off. “No problem, mate.” 

The bell on the café door rings — another customer. “I better go serve ‘em,” Tom says, setting his cup down on the counter. 

“Yes, I’ll put the kettle on.” 

Tom steps out of the back and through to the front counter. Hal finds himself smiling as he heats water for more tea.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! If you have a minute, leave a comment telling me what you thought, I'd love to know. Constructive criticism is welcome! If you don't have a minute, just leave kudos ;)


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